Final Inquiry Essay - Grade: A PDF

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My essay for Professor Mason's inquiry class....

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Lane Young INQR101-006 4 March 2021 Final Inquiry Essay Social media has become a worldwide phenomenon since it was first introduced nearly two decades ago, and it still continues to grow to this day. The rising popularity of apps like Facebook and Instagram have had incredible effects on the entire world; from the way businesses advertise to the way we as human beings perceive the world. Unfortunately, this rise in popularity has brought along side effects that are affecting people of all ages. What are the dangers of social media and how can we prevent them? Social media can have a devastating effect on your mental health. While this is not the case with every social media user, many have been mentally affected by social media. Jeff Cain, an author for the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, says, “. . . the combined prevalence of smartphones and social media throughout society has created substantial negative effects on today’s youth. She correlates the rise in depression and anxiety with the rise in smartphone and social media use, citing a trend that shows without exception, the more time spent on screen activities, the more likely one will be unhappy.” Depression, anxiety, stress, body dysmorphia, and addiction are all issues that can stem back to social media. While social media is not the sole cause of these mental health issues, it has become quite a common source of them. Unfortunately, these mental health issues caused by social media have led to an increase in suicides, especially among young people. According to the authors of The Dark Side of Social Media: Psychological, Managerial, and Societal Perspectives, “Due to social media–induced depression, suicides rates have increased in the United States. In two nationally representative

surveys of US adolescents in grades 8 through 12 and national statistics on suicide deaths for those ages 13–18, . . . suicide rates increased between 2010 and 2015.” The sad reality of this situation is that these people are becoming depressed and suicidal because of these media platforms that were created to connect people and bring happiness. Fortunately, there are ways that you can prevent yourself and others from these dangers of social media. Some of the conducts that I have taken to prevent these includes taking extended breaks from social media and staying away from the toxic parts of the media platforms. Doing this research about the dangers of social media and effects it can have on your mental health has shown me how many people actually suffer from these horrible issues. I do not have any personal experience, but I do know people that have suffered and still currently suffer with these issues. I wanted to do this research to learn more about what they have been through and to learn how to prevent these same things from happening to me and other people around me. My research may not tie into my degree whatsoever, and I may not be researching this topic much at all in my future, but I am glad I can use the information that I have gathered to help others and make people aware of the drawbacks that could happen if they use social media frequently. I am very grateful that the Jerry Falwell Library has books and articles related to this subject because it is a very important subject that could help college students have a healthier outlook on social media. I am hoping that the research that I conducted and that the articles I have found can help people prevent themselves from falling prey to the dangers of social media. I am also hoping that people can learn ways to get help if they are suffering from mental health illnesses stemming from social media usage....